Another Quiz organised by Social Secretary, Sam Greaves, will be held in the Howard Marshall Pavilion on Friday 17th September starting at 1930hrs. Knowing numbers could be helpful so places can be booked by contacting Sam on 07950 644861 or [email protected] but it is not essential that you do.
At the end of a disappointing season in the Premier League, the Firsts left it with a spirited display against perennial powerhouses Welwyn. Having inserted the opposition, skipper Tom Greaves must have been delighted to see them reduced to 15 for 3 thanks to an opening attack of Matt Giblin (2 for 16) and Toby Fynn (1 for 28). However the entry of ex-England star Owais Shah and Mohammed Rizvi proved to be match changing as the pair built a stand of 112, despite some economical bowling from this year's find, Kapil Dave, who conceded just 28 runs from his 10 overs and often troubled the batsmen. When Shah was finally stumped by Sean Tidey off Greaves for 62 it only served to bring in Van Der Westhuisen who contributed 38 in another century stand with Rizvi. 51 came from the last 4 overs as Rizvi finished on 125 not out, although Rupert Martin took two wickets in the last over as Welwyn totalled 250 for 6. Reed started in fine form with Rob Lankester (47) and William Heslam (41) compiling a century opening stand, only for both to be dismissed pulling in consecutive overs. Greaves then took responsibility for the scoring, making 35 in quick time, only to be out caught in similar fashion. With the innings now petering out, Tidey took control hitting 5 boundaries, but he could not protect the tail and was bowled attempting another big hit, last out for 29. Reed made a commendable total of 189, despite a number of regular players being unavailable. Although they only won two games during the season, another half a dozen were close run affairs, so Reed can take heart from their first [...]
After the heroics of last week's victory over Radlett, a 42 run defeat to Hertford proved to be rather an anti-climax. However Reed Firsts started brightly with early wickets for Matt Giblin and Ed Wharton, the latter a magnificent catch by Sunil Patil form a steepler which swerved viciously over his head. Alex Jones (51) and Richard Leather (32) then dug in and it was not until the introduction of canny spinner, Kapil Dave, that the partnership was broken. Dave finished with 3-32 from his ten overs. At 136 for 6 Reed scented a swift end to the innings, but Max Lawrance (40) and Alan Coulson (31) built a stubborn stand of 56, which proved to be match winning. Toby Fynn and Matt Giblin (3-32) then wrapped up the innings for 203, a competitive total on a slow pitch. Reed started in all too familiar fashion, languishing at 88 for 6 after half the allotted overs, only Tom Greaves (37) putting up sustained resistance. However, a fighting partnership of 52 between Jack Caine (35) and Sean Tidey (30) threatened to take the game away from Hertford. Caine played a nicely controlled innings and it was good to see Tidey back to his swashbuckling best. When he was eventually caught on the boundary attempting another maximum, the innings rather subsided for 161 to young spinner, Jonny Underdown, who took 5 for 30. Welwyn await Reed in their final fixture next week. Can they pull off another Radlett to end the season in style? Match Report submitted by Peter Wholley.
Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation at the Old Bull Inn, Royston Saturday 2nd October 2021 at 1830hrs Contact Sam Greaves our Social Secretary to book your tickets on 07950 644861 or at [email protected]
Fancy Dress Theme - Heroes and Villains Saturday 4th September 2021 - after the matches have ended. How did we get on this season? Win? Lose? Are you a Hero or a Villain? Let's celebrate either way!
Reed Firsts caused an amazing upset by beating league leaders and favourites for the title, Radlett, by 14 runs in a match reduced to 32 overs a side owing to a prolonged weather break. The foundation for the victory was laid in the first short period of 16 overs. Rob Lankester and William Heslam (16) dashed to an opening partnership of 50 in just 7 overs scoring all their runs in boundaries. Tom Greaves (14) then supported Lankester as they took the total to 87 before the rain set in. On the resumption, Lankester fell for another scintillating half-century as the Radlett spinners, Toor (5-11) and Patel (3-27) wrested back control, although Stuart Smith (16) managed to marshall the tail through to the final over to accumulate 158 runs. In reply Radlett set off in pursuit of a revised Duckworth Lewis Stern total of 179 with their own impressive century stand between Crawford (47) and Chatfield (54). However Reed's quartet of bowlers: Ed Wharton, Matt Giblin, Toby Fynn and Greaves kept the scoring rate down until Fynn (2-37) broke the partnership with a spectacular running catch by Lankester on the long leg boundary. This was the spark that ignited Reed's fire as Kapil Dave and the returning Wharton began to mop up the rest of their opponent's line up. With the help of four more brilliant catches by Lankester in the outfield, including an incredible one handed diving effort, the pair worked their way through Radlett's middle order leaving them requiring 30 from the remaining 4 overs with 4 wickets left. They had halved the deficit when keeper Sean Tidey brought off his own remarkable one handed dive to start the slide as all four [...]
On a hot day at The Green, captain Ed Garrott won the toss and decided to bat first against the travelling Southgate Adelaide. It was a tough start for the Reed top order when 6' 6" opening bowler Connor Johnson reduced Reed to 27 for 3. This brought Kallum Ward and Ed Garrott together and they set about rebuilding the innings by taking the singles on offer, running hard between the wickets and putting away the bad ball. Ward eventually fell for 62 with Mehmood (10 overs, 1 for 53) breaking the 135-run partnership, Southgate then brought back opening bowler Johnson who quickly picked up the wicket of Mike Robertson and finished with exceptional figures of 4 for 35 from his ten. Garrott was ably supported by Kieran Mckinna (19) as they pushed the score upwards of 250 with Garrott scoring his first century for the club eventually falling for 114 to the bowling of Mahmood. A flurry of late wickets meant that Reed finished 281 all out off 48.5 overs. Reed’s opening bowlers Matt Giblin and U15 Charlie Walters started very economically keeping the Southgate openers below the required run rate, however they reached 50 without loss before Anirudh Vivekanandan entered the attack and took a wicket first ball. A couple of balls later Walters brilliantly ran out the other opener and Adelaide were reeling at 55 for 2. A 124-run partnership between J Coshlan and T Mahmood kept Southgate in the game however the run rate was continuing to climb. Spinner Matt Bowles removed Coshlan for 43 and he picked up a further 2 wickets to finish his 10 over with 3 for 59. Mahmood became the second centurion of the match finishing [...]
When captain Tom Greaves clipped a ball to leg and scampered through for the two runs required to register the First's first win of the season, he must have been reflecting contentedly on winning the toss and inserting West Herts on a drying wicket. As a result, a rampant Ed Wharton scythed through their top order, including the scalp of Sri Lankan international, Perrera, caught skilfully at slip by a diving Rob Lankester. That capped a fine opening spell of 3 for 22 in 11 overs. Toby Fynn then carried on the attack with a mammoth 16-over stint, finishing with 2 for 41 and 5 maidens. He was ably supported by Greaves who took 2 for 51, finally bagging the resolute Zaidi for 52, the first of Sean Tidey's two stumpings. The innings was quickly polished off by Kapil Dave's spin as he tricked the remaining three batsmen into false strokes, conceding just 25 runs. The pick of these was a finely judged catch on the midwicket boundary by Jack Caine. West Herts must have been disappointed with their total of 155 achieved in the final over of their allotted 50, due to a prolonged rain delay at the start of their innings. To be frank, Reed always looked in control of their reply with Will Heslam leading the way, making a fluent 37, including 5 crisply struck boundaries. When he was bowled by the dangerous Perrera, Reed already had 70 on the board as Rob Lankester took over the onslaught, putting on another 50 runs with the watchful Matt Sampson (16). With just 18 needed, Lankester was finally adjudged LBW for a scintillating 74. A measure of his dominance can be gauged by his [...]
Social Secretary Sam Greaves has announced the date of the first RCC Quiz for absolutely ages. Thursday 12th August at 1930hrs at the Howard Marshall Pavilion. To plan for the event and to guarantee a table, please let Sam know via email or message if you plan to attend and how many team members you will be bringing along. Mobile number: 07950 644861 email address: [email protected]
Reed Seconds produced another scintillating performance on Saturday against Harpenden Thirds at The Green. Winning the toss, they asked the visitors to bat, both opening spells by Julien Fynn (10-1-30-2) and Charlie Walters (10-0-46-0) were tight. The first wicket fell on 42 when a superb piece of fielding from Fynn ran-out Williams for just 8 off of Walters' bowling. This brought the skipper Newton to the crease and he and opener Gilson built a solid partnership and the run rate began to increase. A short delay led to the match being reduced to 48 overs each, however the Harpenden batsmen continued on. Fynn returned and bowled Gilson for 88 and picked up the wicket of Frost for just 3 in the next over. Newton wasn't to be denied his century and he ended 110 not out and a quickfire 16 not out from Gosling took the visitors to a challenging 264 for 3 in their 48 overs. Reed started like an express train, with 19 off of the first over although Frenay fell LBW for just a single. Jack Caine and Mike Catt took the score to 47 before Caine edged the ball behind, having scored 17, a second wicket for J. Card. Kallum Ward joined Mike Catt and they continued with a run rate in excess of seven an over. Ward assumed the lead role in the partnership and he brought up his 50 off 45 balls before he became J. Card's third wicket with a 53-ball 61. 14-year-old Charlie Walters played a mature knock of 18, playing the short balls extremely well until he fell with the score on 190 in the 30th over. Mike Catt in the meanwhile had reached his fifty [...]
